Two relief planes of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) left the Amman Military Airport heading for Beirut on Saturday, local media reported.

The planes carry 28 tones of relief and medical supplies provided by the UAE to the Lebanese people.

Jordan is the main gate for providing aid to the Lebanese people through the Crisis Management Center of the Jordan Armed Forces.

Israel launched the assault after Hezbollah snatched two Israeli soldiers in a July 12 raid. It has spiraled into an all- out attempt to end the guerrillas' domination of south Lebanon.

With the attack between Israeli forces and Hezbollah in its 18th day, about 600 Lebanese have been killed in Israeli attacks, according to Lebanese official count.

Humanitarian aid continued to arrive by sea and by air, but was piling up in Beirut on Saturday. Because aid convoys fear Israeli bombardment, only a trickle has reached the war zone in south Lebanon, where tens of thousands of Lebanese are stranded with supplies of medicine, food, water and fuel dwindling.

However, Israel on Saturday rejected a request by the UN for a three-day ceasefire to get in supplies and allow civilians to leave the war zone.